Federal trial date set for Stoker

Jason Stoker, who is facing four state charges in alleged connection to the October 28 death of Chester police officer and volunteer firefighter James Brockmeyer, appeared in federal court in East St. Louis for the first time on Friday.

In the federal case, Stoker is facing one count of conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. If found guilty, he could be sentenced to between five and 40 years in prison, with four years of supervised release and up to $5 million in fines.

Stoker, with public defender Dan Cronin, waived the formal reading of the charge and entered a plea of not guilty. His trial on the charge was set for Sept. 5 starting at 9 a.m.

Stoker was originally scheduled to go to trial in the state's case on July 10, but was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 6.

During a case management conference on June 28, both Randolph County State's Attorney Jeremy Walker and public defender James Kelley agreed to continue the trial until the October jury setting out of fairness to Stoker, and to allow the 35-year-old Chester resident to see what he was dealing with on both fronts.

"They are separate and distinct offenses," Walker said of the difference between the state and federal cases in previous comments to the Herald Tribune. "However, I can't say there won't be any interplay between the cases."

Stoker is scheduled to be back in Randolph County court on Aug. 31 at 10 a.m. for another case management conference.